“Many of life's greatest dangers cannot be foreseen, yet we manage to show compassion, to endure, and to rebuild. ---- The Touhoku earthquake has always felt strangely personal to me. Perhaps because it struck during my birthday. Perhaps because 2011 was a particularly tough year for me. I cannot possibly imagine the kind of devastation that the victims had to go through, but seeing the rescue and rebuilding efforts after the disaster helped me find hope during a dark time in my life. Flawed as my entry may be, I hope that it would still manage to convey even a portion of my gratitude and admiration for those who are able to weather through tough times and those who are always willing to give a helping hand.”